David Lelei: Kenyan Marathon star with a big heart, big dreams

David Lelei. (Courtesy)

David Lelei was a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialised in the 1500m and 800m races. He died in 2010 following a tragic road accident while travelling to his rural home in Nakuru from Nairobi. He was 39 when this incident occurred.

Lelei, who was born on May 10, 1971, was a prominent and successful career athlete during the 1990s and 2000s.

He represented the country in diverse international athletic competitions such as the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Johannesburg where he won a silver medal in the 1500 metres race.

In the same year, Lelei also participated in the World Championship in Seville and emerged seventh over the same distance.  In 2001, he participated in the World Indoor Championship held at Lisbon and emerged fourth in the 800-meter race.

Lelei grew up in Rift Valley, a region known for producing world-class runners, especially in long and middle-distance events. His early years were spent in this part of the country, where running is a common mode of transportation. This helped in laying the foundation for his later successes in the athletic world. 

His hard work and discipline saw him being promoted to a senior management positions in the world of athletics. He took this opportunity to promote athletics in his area and the country at large by guiding and mentoring young athletes.

He also served as chairman of Athletics Kenya (AK)’s Wareng District Branch. This position saw him officiating marathon, half-marathon and cross country races in the area.

Other than matters sports, Lelei also had strong political ambitions and always wanted to better the life of his community.

In 2007, he threw his hat in the Eldoret South Parliamentary seat using an ODM ticket but lost to one Peris Simam. Despite his loss, he continued helping his villagers in various capacities, including charity and advocacy.